Heat may be part of a firefighters job, but the prevailing extreme heat conditions are taking its toll on forestry personnel battling the Juniper Road wildfire in Holly Shelter game lands, forestry officials said.

Heat may be part of a firefighters job, but the prevailing extreme heat conditions are taking its toll on forestry personnel battling the Juniper Road wildfire in Holly Shelter game lands, forestry officials said.

Another week of 100-degree temperatures has had firefighters in Pender County hoping for rain as a wildfire continues to burn across 31,000 acres.

All the rain we've gotten lately has not helped in the fight with the Juniper Road Wildfire in Pender County.

All the rain we've gotten lately has not helped in the fight with the Juniper Road Wildfire in Pender County.

Fires, no matter how they're caused, can be plenty costly. Case in point: The tab for fighting the wildfire in Pender County - which is still burning - is at $3 million and counting.

The state has now spent nearly $3 million fighting a wildfire that started a month ago in Pender County.

The state has now spent nearly $3 million fighting a wildfire that started a month ago in Pender County.

The state has now spent nearly $3 million fighting a wildfire that started a month ago in Pender County.

The state has now spent nearly $3 million fighting a wildfire that started a month ago in Pender County.

Flames that have scorched more than 100,000 acres in this year's busy wildfire season also have burned up millions of dollars in firefighters' salaries and equipment costs, caused an increase in respiratory ailments and kept military units from training on lands blanketed by smoke.

Flames that have scorched more than 100,000 acres in this year's busy wildfire season also have burned up millions of dollars in firefighters' salaries and equipment costs, caused an increase in respiratory ailments and kept military units from training on lands blanketed by smoke.

Flames that have scorched more than 100,000 acres in this year's busy wildfire season also have burned up millions of dollars in firefighters' salaries and equipment costs, caused an increase in respiratory ailments and kept military units from training on lands blanketed by smoke.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:40 p.m. PENDER COUNTY The cost of fighting the nearly month-long wildfire in Pender County has reached more than $2.6 million, state forestry officials said Wednesday.

Thick smoke, presumably due to the continuing wildfire along Juniper Road, is causing travel issues Monday morning in Pender County and parts of New Hanover County.

Thick smoke, presumably due to the continuing wildfire along Juniper Road, is causing travel issues Monday morning in Pender County and parts of New Hanover County.

Fire officials expanded containment lines Sunday for the wildfire that has been burning for nearly a month now along Juniper Road in Pender County.